Pinterest: A Money Saving Mega Center of Ideas

“A penny saved is a penny earned.”

“If you want to feel rich, just count all of the things you have that money cannot buy.”

“The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.”

Philosopher Tara? Nope, just a few money quotes I saw on Pinterest. Oh Pinterest, the black hole where all of my free time goes. The reason for my outbursts of laughter. The method behind my new craft project. The inspiration behind back-to-school outfits. The recipe for tonight’s dinner. I mean, really, the question isn’t what you can learn from Pinterest, but rather what can’t you.

If you’ve been living under a rock and haven’t heard of Pinterest, it’s time we let the sun shine down on your skin and show you this amazing online pinboard that lets people share things they find on the web. Amazing things like ideas for crafts, recipes, entertaining, decorating, funny quotes, outfit ideas, great blogs, makeup & hairstyle tips – really anything. You follow these people, or businesses (even USAA has a Pinterest page), and their pins, and repin them to your board (which is seen by your friends) if you think they’re a great idea. It’s also great for those of us who have very low-capacity memory tanks and need somewhere to organize our cyber-notes to ourselves every time we see something awesome!

The truth is that Pinterest is a money-saving mega center of ideas. Take for instance a frugal yet time-crunched mom confronted with the option of taking her family out for dinner or using up the leftover chicken and corn in the fridge.

Pinterest > Search> Quick Chicken and Corn Recipes > Done.

And there you have it - “A penny saved is a penny earned.”

We recently moved to a new home. I had fallen in love with this $3,000 table from Pottery Barn for our dining area. You all know how this story goes. My husband gave it a “no go” and I had to make alternate plans.

Pinterest > Search> Farmhouse Table > Done.

Ok, so it wasn’t that easy. The point is we spent only $200 vs. the $3,000 and not only do we have a gorgeous table but we have something our whole family helped make, a memory, and a handcrafted one-of-a-kind item.

A table that no Pottery Barn store will ever be able to offer - “If you want to feel rich, just count all of the things you have that money cannot buy.”

There is truly something for everyone on Pinterest – from learning how to make your own baby wipes to instructions on changing your own oil (if you’re brave enough). I’ve made countless recipes, done a few unique crafts, employed some organizational ideas, and definitely saved a ton of money. The one thing I haven’t saved? Time. This is your warning, once you pin it’s addictive. I actually think they’ve given this disease a name – pinaholic.

Be careful, and remember - “The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.”